NEW YORK – For some of the members of the 1969 Mets, one of the great underdog title teams, it's as if they only played one season with the Mets.

That team left such an imprint on those who watched them or have come to learn about them, that other seasons just pale in comparison.

"When we won that World Series, no matter what we did before or after, we were remembered for that team," Art Shamsky, a right fielder, said Wednesday morning at Citi Field. "It will always be very special to our lives.”

This upcoming season will be the 50th anniversary of the first Mets championship team, and Shamsky and Mets fan favorite Ed Kranepool are among those who will be honored throughout the season. The pair visited Citi Field on Wednesday during the team's blood drive, and will be honored during the upcoming BBWAA dinner on Jan. 26.

The Mets will honor the team during the series against Atlanta from June 28-30.

“You've never been able to forget it. People won’t let you. That’s a nice part of being a Met. They still wanna talk about it," Kranepool said. "You’re still visible, still here today 50 years after the fact. We’re hoping the next couple of months go by quickly.”

While the 1969 Mets may not have the rock star status of the 1986 championship team, they will always be remembered as the first great Mets team and the first title team.

After opening with seven straight losing seasons, a team featuring the likes of Tom Seaver, Nolan Ryan, Jerry Koosman and Cleon Jones finished strong to win the NL East after trailing the Cubs by 10 games late in the season.

They then vanquished the Orioles in five games in the World Series.

"From middle of August on, we were a terrific baseball team," said Kranepool, who served as the team's first baseman. "Collectively it was a team that was unbeatable and got on a roll and believed we could win."

Shamsky noted that he still thinks every day about making the final out in Game 1 – the team's only loss to the Orioles – when he had a chance to tie the game.

"Everyone contributed something to our success and that was the beauty of it," Shamsky said. "You can say you were part of this incredible ride, this incredible team that nobody gave a chance to win, certainly based on what we did in 1968."

Art Shamsky(Photo: New York Mets)

As the team will be honored throughout the year, they are also hoping for some good news for some of their own in the near future.

Legendary manager Gil Hodges can be voted into the Hall of Fame in 2020 by the Golden Era Committee. Hodges enjoyed a successful playing career with the Dodgers and Mets before guiding the Mets to that improbable championship.

Hodges' exclusion has baffled some for quite some time.

“I definitely think he should be in the Hall of Fame," Shamsky said. "He was a terrific ball player and a great first baseman. ...If he would have lived longer and managed longer, I think he would have brought more championships to the Mets franchise."